Changeable exhibitor



April 4, 1944. OBD LL 2,345,709

CHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR Filed Nov. 26, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 MIMI LUCIUS ZOBDEZL ATTORNEY April 4, 1944. 1.. LOBDELL CHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR Filed Nov. 26, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig. 10

nvmwroza all/s 50505 1: a M ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 4, 1944 CHAN GEABLE EXHIBITOR Lucius Lobdell, Rockford, Ill.

Application November 2 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in changeable exhibitors for amusement or advertising purposes.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive device which may be manually or mechanically operated to exhibit alternate pictures, designs, printed matter and the like in a novel and unique manner by covering and uncovering each other.

' With this and other objects in view, reference is made to the accompanying sheets of drawings which illustrate a preferred form of this invention with the understanding that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the scope thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a view in front elevation of a form of this invention illustrating the positions of the parts while exhibiting a specific design.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating the position of the parts while changing from one design to another.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating the position of the parts after the transition from the specific design first exhibited has been completed to exhibit an entirely different specific design.

Figure 4 is a plane view of the blank from which the-casing containing the moving parts is formed, with parts broken away.

Figure 5 is a view in elevation of the reciprocating member for causing the transition from one design to another.

Figure 6 is a detail view in elevation of the fixed body adapted to be secured to the casing.

Figure 7 is a detail view in elevation of the reciprocating body adapted to be secured to the reciprocating member.

Figure 8 is a detail view in elevation showing the two bodies inter-woven and detached from the operating parts.

Figure 9 is a view in elevation showing the inter-woven bodies superimposed upon the reciprocating member with the reciprocating body secured across its shortest edges thereto, the outline of the casing being shown in dot and dash lines.

Figure 10 is a view in section taken on the line Ill-l0, Figure 8.

Figure 11 is a view in section taken on the line HIl, Figure 8.

Figure 12 is a view in rear elevation of the casing with the back of the casing in line with the front before folding into closed position 6, 1941, Serial No. 420,485

showing the fixed body secured at its shortest edges to the rear of the front of the casing and the reciprocating member superimposed thereover mounting the reciprocating body interwoven with the fixed body.

In the embodiment of this invention illustrated, the moving parts are enclosed in a rectangular envelope or casing to form .a frame for the design or material to be displayed through an opening I in the front of the casing in the manner shown as a square opening with one diagonal in a vertical plane. The envelope or casing is preferably formed from a rectangular blank of any desired material such as cardboard or thin metal or the like folded centrally upon itself to cover the moving parts with the opening I in the front 2 and the top of the front 2 provided with a flap 3 at its upper edge to pass over the adjacent edge of the back 4 when folded up to secure the front and back together.

The folded edge of the blank forming the lower edge of the front portion 2 is provided with a central slot 5 to receive an operating handle 6 extending therethrough from an elongated rectangular reciprocating member 1, preferably of the same material as the casing or envelope, mounted for reciprocable movement between the top and bottom of the casing. The rectangular reciprocating member I is guided for limited movement over the vertical diameter of the opening I between corner blocks 8 mounted on the corners of the front 2, as shown in Figure 12, and its travel is limited by the closed top and bottom of the casing so that its vertical center moves an equal distance above and below the center of the opening I.

The two designs alternately displayed through the opening I in the front of the casing are created in ink or color upon two rectangular slitted bodies l0 and II each body bearing complementary fragments of each design. One body l0 having four longitudinal slots l2 equidistant from each other and from each longitudinal edge and parallel to each other and to the longitudinal edge divide the body l0 into five parallel equal strips l3, The body I0 is of such size as to just cover the opening I when laid thereover with its longitudinal edges parallel to the opposite sides of the square opening and extending beyond each of the remaining sides a distance to allow the ends of the slots l2 to terminate a distance equal to the width of the strip l3 beyond each edge of the opening I, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 and partly in full lines in Figure 12. The closed ends of the body Ill are adapted to be secured to the rear of the front 2 of the casing by glue or in any desired manner to maintain the strips I3 immoveable.

The moveable rectangular body II adapted to be secured along its slitted edges to the reciprocating member I is provided with slits I4 extending from the upper short edge dividing the body into six parallel strips I5 each of the same width as the strips I3. The strips I5 are interlaced alternately under and over the strips E3 in the stationary body III as shown in Figure 8, with the upper strip I5 first passed under the lower strip i3, then over the next adjacent strip, then under and over the remaining strips I3 so that the end of the upper strip I5 extends under the upper strip I3. The next adjacent strip I5 is first passed over the lower strip I3, then under and over the remaining strips I3 and the remaining four strips I5 are likewise alternately interlaced with the strips I3 resulting in the weaving of the strips of the member II with the strips of the member I0.

In assembling, the bodies It and II with the interwoven strips I3 and I5, as shown in Figure 8, are reversed and thenplaced over the reciprocating member 1, the rectangular body of which is provided with angular extensions I6 and I! on the opposite upper and lower portions of the vertical edges so that the body of the reciprocating member 1 forms a base upon which the opposite shorter edges of the member II are received and secured thereto, as shown in Figure 9. The member I with the body Ii secured thereto with the strips thereof inter-woven with the strips of the body In is then reversed and positioned over the opening I in the front 2 of the casing, as shown in Figure 12, with the handle B-passing through the slot 5 and the opposite longitudinal edges adjacent the top and bottom of the member '1 received between the corner blocks 8 to guide its movement. The short edges of the "member ID are then secured to the rear of the front 2 on each side of the opening I, as hereinbefore described, and the back '4folded to enclose the reciprocating member land the flap 3 bent over to engage and secure the back 4.

In this position the upper strip I5 upon the moveable body 'II is in engagement with the upper end of 'the slot I2 in the fixed body Iii so that this upper strip I5 is entirely behind the front 2 above the opening I on that side of the square. In this position the portions of the first specific design as borne by each of the bodies I 0 and II are brought into alignment with each other to display the design through the opening I as shown in Figure 1. Upon downward move ment of the handle 6 the inter-woven strips of the bodies I0 and I I will slide over each other to cover the respective portions of the specific design shown in Figure 1 and uncover the fragmentary portions of the other specific design displayed on the bodies Ill and II until at the end of the movement of the handle 6 the other specific design portions will be brought into alignment with each other and only that design will be displayed through the opening I as shown in Figure 3. Upon a reversal of the movement the body II will be caused to travel over the body Ii] to again display the first specific design as shown in Figure 1.

What I claim is:

A changeable exhibitor comprising a rectangular body strip bent back upon itself to form similar front and back members, said front member having a central rectangular opening, similar rectangular spacing blocks attached to each corner of the front member to space the back member therefrom and means for securing the free edges of the members to each other, a series of strips of equal width and length interwoven with a second series of similar strips, both ends of one series of strips attached to the rear side of the front member on opposite sides of the central opening, an operating member in the form of a strip -mounted in the space-between the front and back members to be reciprocated and guided between the spacer blocks and having an actuating handle depending from one end extending through a slot provided therefor in the bend of the body strip, said operator provided with opposite extending surfaces, the opposite ends of the second series of strips attached to said opposite extensions, to engage the guiding spacer blocks to limit the reciprocation thereof, so that as the interwoven strips slide over each other the portion of the strips visible through the central opening at one end of movement will be covered at the other end of movement and at the same time make the formerly covered portions of the strips visible through said opening.

LUCIUS LOBDELL. 

